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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to continue turning in the school gate?

488 replies

NortonBuns · 19/03/2025 14:18

I drive my dd to school everyday and once I drop her off I turn around and drive home. I approach the back gate of the school and use this entrance to turn my car round so I can head back home.
The school have now put up a sign saying keep our children safe, no stopping, dropping off or turning in the entrance.
So where am I supposed to turn around? If I carry on I reach the front gate which is busier and has the busses. If I turn before I reach the back entrance I am doing a three point turn in busy school run traffic with lots of children walking and cycling.
So AIBU to say I am safest turning in the large double gate and ignoring the new sign?

OP posts:
lastminutetrip · 19/03/2025 17:43

NortonBuns · 19/03/2025 17:10

@LadyBracknellsHandbagg well none of the solutions people have come up with are safer.
Then end of the 2 miles away road is a very busy crossroad where it would not be safe to stop.
I can’t carry on to do a loop as I would then hit the full front of school traffic and children walking and cycling to school.
This is a high school by the way and we live very rurally so I am not unusual for having to drive.
There is literally a long queue of other parents waiting to turn at this point. The children have a fenced off walk way which leads to a zebra crossing so are not in danger.

I kind of doubt your ability to judge what’s safe tbh.

Park somewhere else and walk; to keep the children safe.
Wait a while longer in your car; to keep the children safe.
Drive a little further along; to keep the children safe.

The sign says don’t do it so don’t, what kind of horrible thing are you? Shouldn’t have a bloody license

MalleusMaleficarumm · 19/03/2025 17:45

Your child has a thing called legs…park further away from school and ask child to engage legs and walk the rest of the way to school.

Guessing you’re one of the many selfish parents like at my child’s school who for some reason must park as close as possible, meaning they block all the roads and pavements and make it dangerous for everyone else’s kids.

Cerealkiller9000 · 19/03/2025 17:46

NortonBuns · 19/03/2025 14:18

I drive my dd to school everyday and once I drop her off I turn around and drive home. I approach the back gate of the school and use this entrance to turn my car round so I can head back home.
The school have now put up a sign saying keep our children safe, no stopping, dropping off or turning in the entrance.
So where am I supposed to turn around? If I carry on I reach the front gate which is busier and has the busses. If I turn before I reach the back entrance I am doing a three point turn in busy school run traffic with lots of children walking and cycling.
So AIBU to say I am safest turning in the large double gate and ignoring the new sign?

I refuse to believe there are people like this in the world

someone who would go against the rules for the SAFETY of their own children!

MinionKevin · 19/03/2025 17:46

Are you saying that every single parent who drives drops them off and turns at this point. If so, it would be chaos.
You need to look and find another solution. Look at a map and see if there is somewhere else to drop off. I drop DD off by a bridge and she crosses a motorway to get to hers. It’s actually a fairly short walk and keeps me away from school most of the time.

Has she got a friend who walks from home, and you could drop off there instead?

ToKittyornottoKitty · 19/03/2025 17:47

NortonBuns · 19/03/2025 17:10

@LadyBracknellsHandbagg well none of the solutions people have come up with are safer.
Then end of the 2 miles away road is a very busy crossroad where it would not be safe to stop.
I can’t carry on to do a loop as I would then hit the full front of school traffic and children walking and cycling to school.
This is a high school by the way and we live very rurally so I am not unusual for having to drive.
There is literally a long queue of other parents waiting to turn at this point. The children have a fenced off walk way which leads to a zebra crossing so are not in danger.

So do you think the school have put the sign up out of spite? If so contact them and ask them about it. Seems far more likely you just don’t want to acknowledge any risk though as it’s inconvenient for you.

UndermyShoeJoe · 19/03/2025 17:49

Our school have just had to put signs up because parents keep nearly running over other people’s children.

The outrage from the parents who couldn’t possibly drop off further up the road or park a street away and walk together is huge. At least ours is a primary school can’t imagine the laughs if we heard parents of 14/15/16 year olds complaining because they must drive to the actual school not a street away.

LondonNootropics · 19/03/2025 17:50

O M G and this is why my children and I nearly got run over outside the school gates - ignorant, entitled, selfish parents that won’t get to earlier and walk a few metres.

WonderingWanda · 19/03/2025 17:50

If it's high school and you live rurally then surely your child can catch the bus. If it's less than 2 miles they should be walking but I appreciate not all country lanes are safe for this so just drive them to the nearest pavement to your home and then let them walk.

LazyArsedMagician · 19/03/2025 17:51

NortonBuns · 19/03/2025 17:10

@LadyBracknellsHandbagg well none of the solutions people have come up with are safer.
Then end of the 2 miles away road is a very busy crossroad where it would not be safe to stop.
I can’t carry on to do a loop as I would then hit the full front of school traffic and children walking and cycling to school.
This is a high school by the way and we live very rurally so I am not unusual for having to drive.
There is literally a long queue of other parents waiting to turn at this point. The children have a fenced off walk way which leads to a zebra crossing so are not in danger.

Well, you can, you just don't want to because it inconveniences you too much.

Leave earlier so it's not so busy and you get home in time to start work.

LondonNootropics · 19/03/2025 17:53

Have you thought about asking the school?

PLHJ84 · 19/03/2025 17:54

So you have no legs to park a bit further away &
walk them?

gamerchick · 19/03/2025 17:56

It's been put there because of you OP.

You park a bit from the school and walk up, it's not a big deal.

Original poster
NortonBuns · 19/03/2025 17:58

MinionKevin · 19/03/2025 17:46

Are you saying that every single parent who drives drops them off and turns at this point. If so, it would be chaos.
You need to look and find another solution. Look at a map and see if there is somewhere else to drop off. I drop DD off by a bridge and she crosses a motorway to get to hers. It’s actually a fairly short walk and keeps me away from school most of the time.

Has she got a friend who walks from home, and you could drop off there instead?

I would say 90% of the children use the main front gate, this is where the chevrons are. I genuinely think it is better for those approaching from the back to turn and go back rather than entering the main gate fray.

OP posts:
Kiwi83 · 19/03/2025 17:58

Entitled parents like you drive me fucking mad, we have a school at the end of our road and the amount of near misses we have with kids is unbelievable. As long as your kid is alright fuck the rest OP? Try parking further away and walking your kids in like grown ups do.

Createausername1970 · 19/03/2025 17:58

NortonBuns · 19/03/2025 14:18

I drive my dd to school everyday and once I drop her off I turn around and drive home. I approach the back gate of the school and use this entrance to turn my car round so I can head back home.
The school have now put up a sign saying keep our children safe, no stopping, dropping off or turning in the entrance.
So where am I supposed to turn around? If I carry on I reach the front gate which is busier and has the busses. If I turn before I reach the back entrance I am doing a three point turn in busy school run traffic with lots of children walking and cycling.
So AIBU to say I am safest turning in the large double gate and ignoring the new sign?

I haven't read the thread, I can't be arsed.

Park further away and walk down.

ToKittyornottoKitty · 19/03/2025 18:01

NortonBuns · 19/03/2025 17:58

I would say 90% of the children use the main front gate, this is where the chevrons are. I genuinely think it is better for those approaching from the back to turn and go back rather than entering the main gate fray.

Show quote history

Because it suits you to think that. Stop being so entitled and change your route

Sirzy · 19/03/2025 18:02

So basically school are saying there is an issue but you know better?

maw1681 · 19/03/2025 18:02

Our school sends out an email every few months reminding parents not to turn in the school carpark because the same entitled parents keep doing it - this isn’t the school’s policy it’s the council’s. Children have been knocked down and even killed in similar circumstances.
Perhaps you could park your car a bit further away and walk to school so you don’t get stuck in traffic?

JSMill · 19/03/2025 18:06

So the school has asked the parents to do something for the safety of the children and you are considering to keep doing it? That’s completely self centred.

wordler · 19/03/2025 18:07

NortonBuns · 19/03/2025 17:58

I would say 90% of the children use the main front gate, this is where the chevrons are. I genuinely think it is better for those approaching from the back to turn and go back rather than entering the main gate fray.

Show quote history

You are going to have to do a diagram as I can't envision what you are talking about at the front end of the school. Why can't you just drive past the school and do a loop further on?

Is it a cul de sac?

Glittertwins · 19/03/2025 18:07

Of course you can carry on driving, you say it yourself, you just don’t want to because you end up being included in the problem of school traffic which you’ve helped cause.
I can’t believe there is nowhere whatsoever to stop earlier and your DD can walk the rest of the way.

TeaIsNice · 19/03/2025 18:08

seriously. do you fancy running over a child?!

Sunnysideupthanks · 19/03/2025 18:10

Yeah you definitely should carry on O.P

I wonder why I sit in class and discover the rules apply to most pupils but not a few?? Oh yes, cause they have a parent like you 🤦‍♀️

wordler · 19/03/2025 18:11

Ah - I think I might understand what you are saying - when you say 'enter the main gate fray' do you mean you don't want to have to try to stop and drop your child off there?

What PP were suggesting I think was to continue dropping your daughter off near the back entrance and then you alone drive on past the school and either find a side road to turn or do some kind of big loop (once you are way past the school) to head towards home.

Whaleandsnail6 · 19/03/2025 18:13

NortonBuns · 19/03/2025 17:10

@LadyBracknellsHandbagg well none of the solutions people have come up with are safer.
Then end of the 2 miles away road is a very busy crossroad where it would not be safe to stop.
I can’t carry on to do a loop as I would then hit the full front of school traffic and children walking and cycling to school.
This is a high school by the way and we live very rurally so I am not unusual for having to drive.
There is literally a long queue of other parents waiting to turn at this point. The children have a fenced off walk way which leads to a zebra crossing so are not in danger.

Why can you not just stop where you currently let your child out of the car.

Then carry on without turning round to get to the busy crossroad. Then turn left or right at the crossroads until you find an acceptable place to turn around safely and go back the way you came?

School are clearly concerned about the children's welfare and the amount of people turning on the gates so you need to come up with another solution